By Paul Eddison, Sportsbeat
AS a global cricketer, Maia Bouchier has first-hand expertise of simply how a lot local weather change is remodeling our planet.
Now the 25-year-old desires to play her half in preventing again.
The place some sportspeople pay lip service to sponsor initiatives or campaigns, Bouchier is not only alongside for the journey, she is attempting to drive change inside cricket.
Whether or not which means a change to journey plans for abroad excursions, or adjusting the quantity of equipment delivered to England gamers, the opener has plenty of concepts about how the game can evolve for the sake of the planet.
“I’ve grown up with numerous alternative, my mother and father have been fairly superb and we received to journey to numerous locations,” stated Bouchier, talking as MCC launched its ‘Batting For a Higher Future’ sustainability marketing campaign.
“We realized the significance of wildlife and pure conservation, we received to see numerous cultures. So when it comes to why I’ve began to talk up about it (local weather change), I noticed the environments impacted. Cricket has been impacted by the atmosphere from what I’ve seen.
“I needed to make individuals conscious of what we will do as a group, as a result of that’s what we’re, to assist the atmosphere.
“There are various issues we will do. The massive one is knowing there may be numerous journey concerned and there’s a large carbon footprint for all of us. As a result of the ladies’s recreation is enhancing a lot, it’s extra of an influence there. We have to speak about what the very best methods are of lowering that carbon footprint as a lot as we will.
“We get numerous equipment, it’s one thing I’ve chatted to the ECB sustainability supervisor about, what we will do to cut back that. It’s a large a part of decreasing the carbon footprint and the waste. There may be a lot waste round equipment
“Issues like gloves and pads and helmets. We go away and go to those nations the place it is extremely scorching. So it’s excited about the method after we’ve used our equipment, how will we reuse it? Or can we discover a solution to scale back the influence on the atmosphere.
“It’s arduous when it’s a must to go to Australia, on the lengthy journeys we have to be a bit lenient. However in case you’re travelling six hours to a rustic, the place you could possibly in all probability simply go financial system. That’s my opinion, if as a group, we could be actually cautious and select the precise time to go on an financial system flight. I feel that will be superb. It’s one thing I’m going to attempt to encourage however it’s about how we will do it as a group.”
MCC’s Batting For a Higher Future marketing campaign goals to make use of the Membership’s uniquely impartial place inside cricket to spotlight the challenges that local weather change pose on the game.
Bouchier will likely be a part of the England squad that travels to South Africa this week forward of a collection in opposition to the Proteas, the place she might make her Check debut.
The opener was most not too long ago in motion on the T20 World Cup within the United Arab Emirates, with the hovering temperatures and excessive humidity on one other stage to something she has beforehand skilled.
And with subsequent 12 months’s 50-over World Cup heading to India, Bouchier is aware of that coping with excessive climate circumstances is changing into a part of the job.
She added: “Once we go overseas and it’s 45 levels and we have now to play in that warmth. I solely actually skilled that in Dubai, fortuitously it was a superb day for me, I received a fifty in opposition to Scotland. However that was the most well liked I’ve ever performed in.
“It was the center of the day and it’s a must to play in pads and full equipment. Then I take into consideration the boys having to play in Sri Lanka or India, the extreme warmth, you see it in articles concerning the gamers fainting and go off for warmth stroke.
“I’ve positively skilled extra of it within the final two years as a result of I’ve been on that worldwide stage.
“A Check debut for me could be unbelievable, I’ve dreamt about that second for a very long time. However that’s one thing we have now to consider with how we put together. We now play 5 days, we used to play 4. The additional day is a profit since you might get extra outcomes, however enjoying in that warmth is a scary thought. We didn’t assume Dubai was going to be that scorching however it was. We’ve to go and play in India subsequent 12 months within the 50-over World Cup, it does scare me somewhat bit. You at all times need to be within the prime health stage however realizing the right way to mentally go on the market and play in that warmth is one other thought.
“I performed final 12 months in India, I stayed for the Check match final 12 months, I used to be within the squad. I performed within the T20s. That wasn’t that unhealthy, I used to be okay in that warmth, however I didn’t play within the Check match.
“Listening to from the women that you simply come off the sphere and everyone seems to be simply mendacity within the altering room and having to get in an ice tub which is minus 5 levels with blocks of ice. The temperature shock is loopy. I feel I’ll solely perceive that when I’ve performed.”
Maia Bouchier was talking on the launch of MCC’s Batting For a Higher Future marketing campaign. For extra data, go to www.lords.org/better-future.
